I know this is long, but bear with me, the payoff at the end will be worth the wait!

Since my last two blogs ended up on the "front page", I thought it was about time to let you know some things about me....embarrassing and otherwise. This might not interest everyone, but for the few who do read this, it may enlighten you to the reason I am the way I am. For the ones it won't interest, bite my shiny, metal--oh come on, you can't tell me you don't like Futurama!

I am an Okie, not by birth, but I've lived here most of my life. I was actually raised in the Midwest: Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin. (my family moved around a lot.)

I was in junior high when Star Wars came out in 1977, and the day I saw it for the first time, like most of you, my entire life changed forever. I think the movie stayed in my town for almost a year, and I think my friends and I saw it at least--to venture a guess--20-25 times, if not more. Thinking back, where did I come up with all that money? Of course, movie tickets weren't $7 to $10 like they are now. My best friend (Hi RDK!!) and I would nudge each other's sides when Han made his first on-screen appearance in A New Hope. I would have to say one of my very favorite scenes in the movie was Han walking out of the cantina after his confrontation with Greedo. I LOVED that camera angle on Harrison! Am I right girls?

After that, I started writing my version of the saga, a version where Princess Leia actually made it to Tatooine. I filled spiral after spiral with my version. They're still on my closet shelf. God forbid we have a tornado and my story ends up plastered all over the neighborhood!

Right after high school, I started dating this boy. We ended up getting serious pretty quick, mostly because of me. You see, when I looked at him, I saw Mark Hamill--same build, same hair and eye color, etc. But OMG, you cannot build a marriage on a fantasy. We loved each other for a while, then he turned to the dark side. Luke Skywalker he was not!
I was way TOO young to get married. But I did get a beautiful daughter out of the deal. She has the most beautiful blue eyes--HIS eyes. Marks, not the ex's. Doh!!!!!

The Empire Strikes Back ....it was my favorite until the PT came out. We were overjoyed that Han chose Leia (little did we know....) Being the hormonal female I am, I cried when Han got frozen in the carbonite. And OMG!! Darth Vader is Luke's father!!! NO ONE saw that coming!

Return of the Jedi.....I really didn't care for the Ewoks (don't hate me!) And the power of the ending only hit me recently, like it did many of us, after I saw ROTS. When they had superimposed Hayden over the original Anakin, it all came into perspective for me. I could finally connect the OT to the PT.

The Phantom Menace.....I'm sorry, but Jar Jar just annoyed me! I really liked the rest of the movie, although it wasn't my favorite.

My passion for Star Wars returned in 2002, when Attack of the Clones came out. I was truly obsessed! I saw it at least a dozen times at the movies, and actually drove all the way to Dallas to see it in the IMAX theater. But it was way cool, and totally worth the trip. (Hayden and Ewan on the IMAX screen---gives me the flutters to this day!) The love story between Padmé and Anakin consumed me. The chemistry between the two was undeniable. Such passion, and not just in the lusty, "I need you" kind of way. It was a beautiful, amazing love story, with a wonderful ending to an exceptional (IMO) movie. I could not wait for the Episode III.

In the meantime, my writing skills were renewed and given a new focus. I completed a romance novel I had started with my afore-mentioned best friend a long time ago. It is currently somewhere in New York City, I submitted it about two months ago, and I'm impatiently awaiting word on it's fate. I've started a second novel, a sequel to the first. They are historical romances, set in pre-war 1812. My next book will definitely be science fiction--something I can create, instead of doing all this research.

I've been a Hyperspace member since 2002, I joined right after the release of AOTC. I heard they were going to do behind the scenes webcams and diaries about the filming of Episode III. I gotta tell you, the day I read the diary (July 3 2003) that said something about a "shirtless Anakin" I about jumped out of my skin!! Now I just can't get enough of him!! Anakin AND Hayden (Like my fellow LILWA sisters!)

By the time ROTS came out, I was already completely hopeless. Episode III--a SW fan's dream come true. It contained most of the answers we had all been searching for. It's bittersweet. We wanted to see the relationship that had evolved between Anakin and Padmé, but we weren't willing to see what we all knew would be the end of that relationship. (Even if our Padmé had lived, we knew she would never want to be with anyone so evil.)

I'll end this mercifully with a few thoughts:

Am I obsessed? Completely and hopelessly

What would my life be like without Star Wars? Infinitely different!

My biggest regret? Not seeing "a shirtless Anakin" on the IMAX screen!

MTFBWY

GB


To Queen Mina: I am now your HUMBLE servant! I bow down before you, My Queen! Guide me to the Pervy side of the Force!